Flexible dye tube

ABSTRACT

Dye tube for yarn in which flexible uprights spaced circumferentially around the axis of the tube and unsupported except at each end accommodate yarn shrinkage forces by bowing and recover their original diameter upon removal of the yarn, thereby allowing reuse, and uprights and top and bottom base portions of the tube define dye openings for high dye saturation.

United States Patent [1 1 Livingstone et a1.

[ 1 May 13, 1975 FLEXIBLE DYE TUBE [75] Inventors: Stanley Livingstone, Charlotte; Neal E. Sellers, Mount Holly, both of N.C.

' [73] Assignee: American & Efird Thread Mills,

Inc., Mount Holly, N.C.

[22] Filed: June 27, 1973 [2 1] App]. No.: 373,982

[52] US. Cl 68/198; 242/118.11 [51] Int. Cl B65h 75/22; B05c 7/00 [58] Field of Search 68/198, 189; 242/118.1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1936 Huttinger 68/198 1/1962 Jungbecker.... 68/198 2/1968 Hilgers 242/118.2 X

3,448,597 6/1969 Livingstone 68/198 3,777,515 12/1973 Hattori 68/198 FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,233,417 5/1971 United Kingdom 242/1 18.11 562,540 10/1932 Germany 68/198 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins Assistant E.\aminerPhilip R. Coe

57 ABSTRACT Dye tube for yarn in which flexible uprights spaced circumferentially around the axis of the tube and unsupported except at each end accommodate yarn shrinkage forces by bowing and recover their original diameter upon removal of the yarn, thereby allowing reuse, and uprights and top and bottom base portions of the tube define dye openings for high dye saturation.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures FLEXIBLE DYE TUBE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to tubes for supporting for dyeing a package of yarn wound therearound, and provides an improvement in certain respects in the dye tube disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,448,597.

Shrinking after dyeing of polyester and other yarns produces great crushing forces on dye tubes, tending to break or permanently distort the tube, preventing their reuse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a simple, inexpensive, easy to manufacture and convenient to use dye tube capable of accommodating the crushing forces of shrinking yarns in repeated uses. The tube can be a one-piece construction.

The invention allows minimization of the contact area between the yarn and the tube surfaces while maximizing dye saturation of the yarn, and also provides for uniform absorption of the dye without cross-overs" or light colored spots on the yarn caused by undue pressure on dye tube surfaces. Furthermore the tubes can easily and quickly (and even automatically) be stacked around a dyeing spindle, well sealed to each other even during shrinking of the yarn, without requiring separate spacers between adjacent tubes, and without overly restricting axial flow of dye between the tubes and the spindle. The tubes can be removed easily from the spindle even after yarn shrinkage. Finally the tubes retain the yarn in orderly windings even after shrinkage.

In general the invention in one aspect features a tube having flexible uprights spaced circumferentially around the axis of the tube, in which the uprights are unsupported along their length except at their ends where they are connected to top and bottom base portions of the tube, the uprights being composed of a material such that they will bow under radially compressive shrinkage forces and recover their original shape on removal of the yarn. In another aspect the invention features a number of such dye tubes stacked around a dyeing spindle and maintained in a sealed column by spring means that will keep the stack of tubes pressed together in spite of axial shrinkage. Preferred embodiments feature a one-piece tube of molded plastic; six spaced uprights preferably /z inch wide with open spaces between them comprising no more than 50 percent of the surface area of the cylinder defined by the uprights and open spaces; narrow inner ribs on the uprights to minimize upright-to-spindle contact upon shrinkage; and a tube adapted for use with a dyeing spindle by having a first inner diameter, defined by lugs on the inner surface of a base portion, slightly larger than the outer diameter of the spindle for clearance, a second inner diameter, defined by the uprights, larger than the first inner diameter, and a third inner diameter, defined by the ribs on the uprights, intermediate in size to the first and second inner diameters, whereby the relationship among the three diameters permits alignment of the tube with the spindle and sealing with other tubes, accommodation to yarn shrinkage, and easier removal of the tube after shrinkage. Finally, for use with a spindle having an outer diameter of 1.315 inch a second inner diameter of 1% inch and ribs /2 inch long protruding inward on the order of 0.001 inch are preferred dimensions.

Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings herein of a preferred embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation of one embodiment of the invention with portions cut away;

FIG. 2 is a section through 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTIONN OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Dye tubes 10 made of polypropylene with talc added to minimize shrinkage are stacked end to end on perforated dye spindle 12, and include top and bottom imperforate base portions 14, 16 to which are joined six /2 inch wide axially extending uprights 18 circumferentially spaced 11/32 inches apart.

Each base portion 14, 16 includes an annular end sealing surface 20, 22 of inside diameter 1% inch and of outside diameter 2 inches. Dye spindle 12 has an outer diameter of 1.315 inch.

Uprights 18 have concave inner surfaces 21 (FIG. 2) on which are centered ribs 24 /2 inches in length located midway along the length of each upright, extending inward from inner surface 21 on the order of 0.001 inch, and on the order of 0.001 inch wide at the point of contact with inner surface 21. A series of eight small protuberances 26 spaced A; inch apart is located along the center line of each upright at each end thereof to prevent yarn slippage.

Base portion 14 is slightly longer than portion 16 and has four vertical lugs 40 /2 inches wide spaced circumferentially around its inner surface, to give the tube an effective inner diameter at one end slightly larger than the outer diameter of spindle l2,-thereby helping to align adjacent stacked tubes on spindle 12 with adjacent opposing surfaces 20, 22 in sealing relation to each other. Lugs 40 are tapered at ends 41 to slide easily over the spindle, and have rounded inner-surfaces 43 to match the curvature of the spindle. Each base portion 14, 16 also includes two spaced annular ridges 28, 30 adjacent annular end sealing surface 20, 22 by which arrangement strength is maintained, while the amount of material used in the base portion is minimized.

By maintaining a relationship whereby the diameter defined by the lugs 40 is slightly larger than the spindle outer diameter, the diameter defined by the uprights 18 is larger than the diameter defined by the lugs, and the diameter defined by the ribs 24 is intermediate in size to the diameters defined by the lugs and by the uprights, alignment and sealing between tubes, flexing of the uprights in response to shrinkage without blocking the dye perforations in the spindle, and easier removal of the compressed tubes from the spindle can all be accomplished.

In use, yarn is wound on the tube at a 20 slant. Protuberances 26 help to prevent yarn slippage. The spaces 19 between the uprights l8 allow for high dye saturation of the yarn. Cross-overs are minimized since undue pressure is not concentrated on the outer surfaces of the uprights which comprise at least 50 percent of the cylindrical surface defined by the uprights 18 and dye openings 19, Also because of this surface area relationship between uprights and dye openings shrunken yarn does not bind on the spindle. Dye can flow axially between spindle 12 and tube 10 between lugs 40. Surfaces 20, 22 limit dye flow radially between adjacent stacked tubes. After dyeing, uprights 18 will bow inwardly from their original 1 /8 inch diameter in response to yarn shrinkage until ribs 24 contact spindle 12 which has a diameter of 1.315 inch. Ribs 24 minimize contact between uprights and spindle, thereby preventing blocking of the dye perforations in the spindle and facilitating removal of dye tube 10. Upon removal of the yarn the squeezed together uprights return to their original larger diameter. Since squeezing of the uprights will shorten the stack column, a spring loaded spindle nut 42 is attached to the top of the spindle to maintain a sealed'column regardless of shrinkage or expansion of the column by applying a downward pressure on the stacked tubes.

Other embodiments are within the following claims:

We claim:

1. A tube for use on a perforated dyeing spindle, for supporting for dyeing a package of yarn wound therearound, said tube having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

a plurality of flexible uprights spaced circumferentially around said axis, and

top and bottom base portions of the tube,

each said upright being joined at opposite ends to said base portions, respectively, and unsupported between said base portions, said uprights being sufficiently resilient so that they will bow under radially compressive forces and' recover their. original shape upon removal of said forces, each said upright having an inner surface and a portion protruding from said inner surface toward said axis, to prevent'contact of said upright with said spindle except at said portion of said upright, thus minimizing blockage of the perforations in said spindle by said uprights and limiting the area of contact between said spindle and said uprights upon shrinkage of said yarn,

said spaced uprights and base portions cooperatively defining a plurality of dye openings through the tube.

2. The tube of claim 1 comprising a single piece-of: i

plastic.

3. The tube of claim 1 wherein said dye openings and said uprights define a cylinder having a surface area, and said dye openings comprise no more than 50 per cent of said area.

4. The tube of claim I wherein each said protruding portion of said upright is a narrow rib.

5. The tube of claim 4 wherein each said base portion has an inner surface, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs protrude from said inner surface of at 1 b least one of said base portions. 2

6. The tube of claim 5 for use on .a perforated dyeing spindle, wherein said spindle has an. outer diameter, r said lugs define an inner diameter which is slightly w larger than said outer diameter of said spindle, said uprights have inner surfaceswhich define aninner diamesaid inner surface. J

8. The tube of claim 1 wherein there are sixuprights equally spaced circumferentially around said axis of the tube.

9.'The tube of claim 8 wherein said uprights are /2 inch wide, said dye openings are 11/32 inches wide,

said top and bottom base portions have an inner diam e-" i ter of 1% inch and an outer diameter of 2, inches, and said top base portion has four circumferentially spaced lugs defining an inner diameter slightly greater than i 1.315 inch adapted to fit a dye spindle of 1.315 inch outer diameter.

10. The tube of claim 1 wherein each said upri ht has 7 an outer surface, and a plurality of small spaced prom berances are located on said outer surface of each said 7 sli upright to restrict yarn ppage. 

1. A tube for use on a perforated dyeing spindle, for supporting for dyeing a package of yarn wound therearound, said tube having a longitudinal axis and comprising: a plurality of flexible uprights spaced circumferentially around said axis, and top and bottom base portions of the tube, each said upright being joined at opposite ends to said base portions, respectively, and unsupported between said base portions, said uprights being sufficiently resilient so that they will bow under radially compressive forces and recover their original shape upon removal of said forces, each said upright having an inner surface and a portion protruding from said inner surface toward said axis, to prevent contact of said upright with said spindle except at said portion of said upright, thus minimizing blockage of the perforations in said spindle by said uprights and limiting the area of contact between said spindle and said uprights upon shrinkage of said yarn, said spaced uprights and base portions cooperatively defining a plurality of dye openings through the tube.
 2. The tube of claim 1 comprising a single piece of plastic.
 3. The tube of claim 1 wherein said dye openings and said uprights define a cylinder having a surface area, and said dye openings comprise no more than 50 percent of said area.
 4. The tube of claim 1 wherein each said protruding portion of said upright is a narrow rib.
 5. The tube of claim 4 wherein each said base portion has an inner surface, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced lugs protrude from said inner surface of at least one of said base portions.
 6. The tube of claim 5 for use on a perforated dyeing spindle, wherein said spindle has an outer diameter, said lugs define an inner diameter which is slightly larger than said outer diameter of said spindle, said uprights have inner surfaces which define an inner diameter which is larger than said inner diameter defined by said lugs, and said ribs define an inner diameter which is intermediate in size to said inner diameters defined by said lugs and by said inner surfaces of said uprights.
 7. The tube of claim 4 wherein each said rib is centered lengthwise along each said upright, protrudes on the order of 0.001 inch inward from said inner surface, and is on the order of 0.001 inch wide where it contacts said inner surface.
 8. The tube of claim 1 wherein there are six uprights equally spaced circumferentially around said axis of the tube.
 9. The tube of claim 8 wherein said uprights are 1/2 inch wide, said dye openings are 11/32 inches wide, said top and bottom base portions have an inner diameter of 1 5/8 inch and an outer diameter of 2, inches, and said top base portion has four circumferentially spaced lugs defining an inner diameter slightly greater than 1.315 inch adapted to fit a dye spindle of 1.315 inch outer diameter.
 10. The tube of claim 1 wherein each said upright has an outer surface, and a plurality of small spaced protuberances are located on said outer surface of each said upright to restrict yarn slippage. 